Liberation in Jainism

• The suffering individual is a jiva or a living,

conscious substance called soul.
– This soul is inherently perfect
– It has infinite potentiality within
– Infinite knowledge, infinite faith, infinite power and bliss
can all be attain by the soul if it can only remove all
obstacles
• What are these obstacles and how do they come to
rob the souls of its native perfections?
– The obstacles are constituted by matter-particles which
infect the soul and overpower its natural qualities
– The limitation we find in individual soul are due to the
material body which the soul has identified itself
• The body is made of particles of matter (Pudgala)
• In the formation of this body the guiding force is the
soul’s own passion
– A soul acquires the body that it inwardly craves for
– The karma or sum of the past life of a soul generates in it
certain blind cravings and passions that see satisfaction
– These cravings attract to it particular sort of matter-
particles and organize them into the body
– The soul is the efficient cause and the matter is its
material cause
– Our past karma determines the family in which we are
born as well as the nature of the body
– The passions which cause bondage are anger, pride,
infatuation and greed
• These are called kasāya (sticky substances)
– Because the presence of these in the soul makes matter-
particles stick to it
– The nature and number of matter particles attracted by the
soul depend on its karma
– The flow of such karma –matter into the soul is called influx
(āsrava) of karma
• Bondage mean the jiva infected with passions, take up
matter in accordance with its karma
• bondage of the soul is its association with matter,
liberation mean the compete dissociation of the soul
from matter
• This can be attained by stopping the influx of new
matter into the soul
• complete elimination of the matter with which the soul
has become already mingled
• The first process is called samvara and the second
nirjarā
• When the last particle of karma has been exhausted
– the partnership between soul and matter is dissolved
– the soul shines in its intrinsic nature faith, knowledge, bliss
and power
– This state is called Moksha
• Our ignorance about the real nature of our souls and
other things leads to anger, vanity, infatuation and
greed
• Knowledge alone can remove ignorance
– Right knowledge or knowledge of reality
– Right knowledge can be obtained by studying the teaching
of tirthankaras
– But before we feel inclined to study their teachings we must
have a general acquaintance with essentials of teaching
 – We must have faith in the competence of these teachers
– But mere knowledge is useless unless it is put to practice.
– Right conduct is therefore regarded as indispensable condition for
liberation
• Here kevalajñāna or omniscience is attained.
• The liberated soul transcends samsāra and goes to
siddha-shilā at the top of the world and dwells there
in eternal knowledge and bliss.
• Jainism states that
– Samyag-darsana, i.e., right faith or belief
– Samyag-jñāna, i.e., right knowledge
– Samyak-charitra, i.e., right conduct together constitute
the path to salvation.
• Right belief, right knowledge and right conduct are
called Ratnatraya or the three jewels in Jainism.
 Right faith (Samyag-darsana)
• To attaining liberation all the three must be
simultaneously pursued

• Right belief comes first and forms the basis upon

which the other two rest.

• One must, first attain right belief or the basic

conviction on the fundamentals

• Right belief means true and firm conviction in the

seven principles or tattvas of Jainism
• It is an attitude of respect towards truth
– This faith may be inborn and spontaneous in some or it
may be acquired by learning
– Faith can arise only when the karmas that stand in its
way are worn out
– Starting with a partial faith and studying further
– The more one studies these views, the greater would
faith grow
• The right beliefs are:
– that the Jaina Tirthankaras are the true Gods
– the Jaina Sastras the true scriptures
– and the Jaina saints the true Preceptors
• right faith is given precedence over right knowledge and
conduct
• because it acts as a pilot in guiding the soul towards
Moksha
 Right Knowledge (Samyag-Jnana)
• Right knowledge is
– that which reveals the nature of things neither
insufficiently, nor with exaggeration nor falsely,
– but exactly as it is and that too with certainty.
– It is a state of detailed cognition of the real nature of the
ego and non-ego, and is free from doubt, error and
uncertainty
– The existence of certain innate tendencies (karmas)
stand in the way of correct knowledge
– For perfect knowledge the removal of these karmas
should be attempted
Right Conduct (Samyak-caritra)
• It helps the self to get rid of the karmas that lead
him to bondage and suffering

• For stoppage of the influx of new karmas and

eradication of old one must

1. take the five great vows (Panca-mahavrata)

– Ahimsa or non-injury to life:
• Abstinence from all injury to life
• Life exists not only simply in the moving ones, but also in some
non-moving ones, such as pants etc.
• It is not only sufficient simply not to take life, one should not
even think and speak of taking life
• Satyam: Abstinence from falsehood
– Truthfulness is not speaking what is only true, but speaking what is
true as well as good and pleasant
• Asteyam: Abstinence from stealing
– The sanctity of the property of others, like that of their lives
• Brahmacaryam: Abstinence from self-indulgence
– Vow to give up self-indulgence (kama) of every form
• Aparigraha: Abstinence from all attachment
– Give up all attachment for the objects of the five senses
2. Practise extreme carefulness in walking, speaking, receiving
alms and other things
3. Practise restraint of thought, speech and bodily movement
4. Practise dharma of different kinds
• Forgiveness, Humility, Straightforwardness, Truthfulness,
Cleanliness, Self-restraint
• 5. meditate on the cardinal truth thought regarding
self and the world

• 6. conquer, thirst, heat, cold, etc.

• 7. attain equanimity, purity, absolute goodness and

perfect conduct.

• These three Jewels of Jainism are inseparably

bound up and perfection of one goes with the
perfection of the other two.